


Loving you too much

by One_eyed_God



Series: Rhack One-Shots [2]
Category: Borderlands
Genre: Angst, Break Up, M/M, Pining, Rhys wanting an exclusive relationship, Self-Esteem Issues, Trying to get back into writing, and Jack not knowing it, prompt, this is sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 10:18:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7432394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/One_eyed_God/pseuds/One_eyed_God
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhys and Jack aren't an item. They fuck and Jack likes to show off how rich he is, how he can buy whatever he wants to his lovers. On the side, Jack has a dozen others that he kisses, laughs with, people much more worthy of his attention.</p><p>Rhys watches, and doesn't know how long it'd take until he falls appart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Loving you too much

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: I forgot to mention it but this was a prompt! On my tumblr, shippingismypersonalhell, I accept prompts for art & writing so if you want more (either a follow-up for this one, or something else), you can hit me up with an ask! :)  
> Hope this isn't too bad haha. I have no idea how to write Jack. Also this features the headcanon that Rhys is reaaally convinced he has no self-worth (is it obvious I'm coping with him? xD).  
> Hope you like it!

It doesn’t take long for Rhys to realize Jack and him have very different definitions of what their relationship is like.

It shouldn’t bother him.

Jack is… He’s perfect really. He brings him gifts when he pops in at work, he takes Rhys to dinner - to expansive places that Rhys only dreamt about before starting to sleep with the Hyperion’s CEO. Jack’s great in bed and sometimes, he even lets Rhys sleeps over. It’s more than Rhys wanted, back when he only fantasied about being the CEO’s lover, more than he deserve really.

But yet, he can’t help it, the way his heart cracks everytime he sees Jack brings gifts to _someone else_ , a gorgeous woman from the R&D department, a pretty intern from Eden 6, a beautiful guy who’s an investor. People high up in the hierarchy, people Jack sees everyday, people with money, looks, books smarts.

It shouldn’t bother him, he repeats to himself, each night as he tries to fall asleep and remembers Jack kissed someone else today, Jack laughed and dragged them to a closet to make out.

 _Everyone_  knows Jack doesn’t do steady and exclusive relationships after his break up with the Lynchwood Sheriff, the betrayal of Moxxi and his two failed marriages. Rhys knows it.

His heart doesn’t apparently.

And it _hurts_ , it hurts so bad, each time he feels Jack go limp on him and he knows he’s suposed to get up and out. Each time he breathes out Jack’s name when he comes and it feels like a prayer ( _an I love you_ ) that should never be spoken out loud.

Jack notices of course. He sees Rhys tenses up when he tries to kiss his cheek after a job well done, when he tells Rhys how “he’s _such_ a good boy” ( _but I’m not am I, or I would be enough_ ) and Rhys feels like crying and screaming, asking for the gifts to stop because he’s not a trophy wife, hell he’s not even a wife, he’s just a random guy from cybernetics, a one-armed cyclops that was lucky enough to catch the CEO’s eyes but soon…

Soon it’ll stop, Rhys knows.

He knows because Nisha comes back in town, with her powerful stare, her whip at her hips, the sway of her ass when she enters a room and every eyes are on her. The way she slings an arm around Jack’s waist, and kisses him, all tongue and teeth like she owns him. And Jack lets her, welcomes her back in his arms. She belongs with him, and Rhys doesn’t.

Damn now he’s starting to cry.

“Rhys? Rhysie, pumpkin I know I’m handsome and insanely rich but it's not worth crying about it.”

Jack’s smiling, the mask imitating the skin like always, creases and wrinkles from the expression and the age. He _is_  handsome. Rhys should feel lucky, to have him like that, be able to see him like the man he is, not the god he’s made himself out to be. He feels desperate, wants more and can’t, he’s selfish but not that much. Nisha’s amazing, he knows that, from the few discussions he had with her and the rueful way Jack talks about their relationship.

They deserve to get back to each other, be happy and Rhys… Well Rhys is used to be left ( _and so long as Jack’s happy he can cope, probably_ ).

“It’s nothing Jack, don’t worry about it. Something in my eyes.” He smiles ( _fake it till you make it_ ) and takes the new suit Jack brought him, a shiny thing that probably cost more than Rhys’ flat. “What’s the occasion? Usually you don’t like me wearing too many layers…” Jack laughs, moves right in Rhys’ space, a smirk on his lips and his nails scratching Rhys’ skin through his shirt.

“Oh pumpkin, that’s not for the bedroom - though I bet you look freaking hot in that - it’s for the boardroom’s party next week. Tim can’t make it and I _really_  don’t want to have to suffer those guys unless I can oggle a hot piece of ass.”

Oh. Rhys opens his mouth, tries to speak, fails. His breathing is quickening because is that - is that a date or? It’s not, he thinks, it can’t be, why would he take _Rhys_  of all people on a date. Jack himself said - he doesn’t like those parties, he just wants to take his frustration out later, fuck Rhys until he doesn’t remember his name.  He wants an armcandy. Rhys is perfect for that isn’t he?

( _I’d do anything for you, but you won’t do the same_ )

He’s not sure he’ll be able to keep breathing so he goes for a joke.

“So what am I supposed to say to people? That I’m the “hot piece of ass” you’re going to take back tonight? It’s not like I can say I’m your date after all.”

His voice breaks a little at that, and Jack’s eyes widen, smile dropping. He’s getting it now, maybe, and the tears fall, crash finally, and Rhys admits it, voice almost too low.

“It’s funny isn’t it? How expendable I am.” Jack tries to speak, to say Rhys’ name, reassure him maybe ( _don’t you worry your pretty head babe, you’re a great lay he said once_ ) but Rhys just can’t take it anymore. “Just once, I wish I could fool myself into thinking I was… I meant something to you.”

Stupid, stupid Rhys. Stop talking now and maybe you can save it. And if not, at least your dignity. Instead, he hiccups, wipes his eyes angrily and Jack, _fucking Handsome Jack_  looks lost, like he had no idea at all. He probably didn’t and Rhys should be angry, says he deserves better than this, that he should be to be someone’s dream guy but the truth is, he’s not, never will be.

“I’m sorry Jack I - I don’t think I’ll go to this party.” he finally says. Break it now, it’ll hurt less in the long run. He starts to go, avoids Jack’s hand who tries to grab him ( _don’t make me stay, don’t you lie and say I mean something_ ). “I… I don’t think I can do this anymore…”

“Rhys, stop, goddamnit just wait -”

“I just love you too much Jack. I can’t - I can’t help it, I’m sorry, I _ruined_  it I know,” Great he’s rambling now, Jack should just shoot him now, it’ll be less painful. “But yeah I… I’d do anything for you Jack.”

( _But you’ll never do the same for me, and I wish that was okay_ ).

“Goodbye Jack.”

When the door closes on Jack’s face, he swears he’s walking on the shrapnels of his broken heart.


End file.
